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Manhattan Project

Definition

The Manhattan Project was a research and development project during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with support from the United Kingdom and Canada.

Analogy

Think of the Manhattan Project like an intense group project at school. You have a deadline (end of WWII), you're working on something groundbreaking (nuclear weapons), and your work could have huge implications (ending the war or causing massive destruction).

Related terms

Atomic Bomb: A weapon that uses nuclear reactions to release massive amounts of energy in the form of heat, light, radiation, and a shockwave. The atomic bombs developed during the Manhattan Project were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan.

Robert Oppenheimer: An American theoretical physicist who served as director for Los Alamos Laboratory during the Manhattan Project. He is often called "the father of atomic bomb".

Trinity Test: The code name for first detonation of a nuclear device conducted by USA on July 16, 1945 as part of Manhattan project.